Teenagers with poor sleep habits 'more likely to take up smoking'

14/06/2007

Not getting enough sleep or experiencing disturbed sleep can increase the risk of teenagers taking up smoking or drinking, a new study claims.

Research presented at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies suggests that sleeping less than eight hours a night, frequent nightmares and difficulties falling asleep were correlated with both drinking and smoking.

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Additionally, smoking was also shown to be associated with going to bed later than midnight, difficulty maintaining sleep and the use of sleep-inducing drugs.

The data was collected from 1,362 young people in five Chinese high schools.

"These findings demonstrate significant associations between sleep quantity and sleep disturbances and smoking and drinking in Chinese adolescents," remarked lead researcher Xianchen Liu, from the University of Pittsburgh.

"Although prospective, longitudinal studies are warranted, these findings suggest a potential role of sleep intervention - that is, education in sleep hygiene and the treatment of sleep disturbances - in the prevention of adolescent substance use."

In related news, US research recently indicated that sleep disorders are common among police officers.

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